The beautification of Downtown McMinnville has been in progress for years, and one more piece of its revitalization will arrive soon.
During the Board of Mayor and Aldermen’s regularly scheduled meeting last Tuesday, Main Street McMinnville’s Executive Director Jennifer Flatt Meredith presented the board with picnic tables which will be placed on Main Street for the community to use.
Main Street McMinnville was the recipient of a Downtown Improvement Grant last year, a grant which is only available to Main Street communities. Due to the nature of the eligibility requirements, the city itself could not apply for this supplement; so Main Street McMinnville – a nonprofit - put its hat into the ring for the grant with the intention to use it to improve Main Street.
Previous to the proposed picnic tables, the Downtown Improvement Grant facilitated funding for renovations to businesses’ facades on Main Street and, as a reimbursable grant, it required a 25% match for the total project cost. Leftover money is being used to purchase the picnic tables and additional benches and trash cans to be placed downtown.
“These picnic tables will offer a fantastic new space for the community to enjoy meals, sip coffee, or simply spend time outdoors. This addition is just one of the many ways the Downtown Improvement Grant is helping to transform our downtown into an even more vibrant and welcoming space,” Meredith said. “We’re thrilled to see these improvements taking shape and can’t wait for everyone to enjoy them!”
The picnic tables will be styled similarly to the benches already found along Main Street and other city-owned locations, with the metal painted black rather than red. Five picnic tables will be purchased, one of which is ADA-accessible and allows wheelchair users and six additional individuals to be seated.
The Lot and space next to Security Federal were floated as potential homes for the tables, but other locations include the grassy areas next to the fountain and across the street.
Meredith indicated she is still working with the city in deciding where to place the tables and nothing is final at this time.
